The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-21

s. W. H., in Rural New Yorker.
Any farmer easily change all the cider
he is likely to have into vinegar by the follow
ing quick process. The requirements are, first.
a cask; second, a box made of four wide boards.
Is to 10 feet long with bottom board full of
holes" this Is to be placed upright, above and
leading into the cask; third, above and lead
ing into TINS box there must be automatic
fountain. These provided, each person can de-
termine where it will be most convenient to i'm
proviso tie factory, whether in barn or wood
house. If he has no better place he put
the fountain in his house at second
story window. the box and cask be,
ing outside under the window. Instead of
the box, / used with frst-rate success) two
headless salt barrels, one above another, the
lower one with one head full of holes 1t may
be possible that the barrels are better than the
box, because air is admitted where they join,
and they DO not allow the porous contents to
set readily and pack straight box would.
Cross pins through the box would be remedy
against the setting and packing Next put III
q half bushel of coDs and filed to the top of the
upper barrel with oak sawdust. Then, from the
fountain turned on a stream OF cider nearly or
quite as large a common penhoider, but re-
duced TO a mere dripping through the night.
The sawdust absorbed more than barrel before
any began to run into the lower cask The
fountain was kept running with cider till the
lower cask nearly full. Then the fountain
supplied from the contents OF this cask till
the liquid had made three or four circuits
through the sawdust and corn-cobs, and had be-
come excellent vinegar.
Most of this was barreled. and the rest was
the fountain Sometimes | used twice much
of one as the other. but fast it became
good vinegar / kept on barrellng all except
what was wanted to mix with new cider In con-
tinuation of the process. When there was
more cidar to work up. the vinegar in the saw
dust WAS got out by putting water in the fount-
ain, and as it descended in the saw dust 1t dis
placed or pushed the vinegar downward. When
the water began to come through tasting only
little of vinegar it was turned off
The last lot OF vinegar may be mixed with
that previously made, and the total measure
will be fully equal to the original quantity of
cider; and If the cider was pure and unwatersd.
the vinegar will be SO intensely strong that 1t
may be largely diluted.
During the process considerable heat is gen.
Grated, the sawdust aud liquor becoming quite
warm. 1t NAV be that this heat may be in
creased diminished to advantage by turning
on a large amount of cold cider at once or by
having the cider warm when it Is turned on
more especially at the beginning, when every
thing is cold However, without warming the
cider. succeeded as above The original recipe
prescribed mixing small quantity of honey
with the cider. This is not necessary The
recipe also called for beech wood shayngs, as
though nothing else would answer. The fact,
perhaps is that the snavings and sawdust OF
all kinds of wood that will not communicate
taste or color, about equally good. Dead
ripe cut straw, washed free from rust and smut,
would probably answer. The theory of the
quick process is based on the diffusion and
posture to the air of the cider Tor of any other
fluid that will make viueGar), so that all por-
tions may absorb oxygen sim ultaneousiy. III
the theory Is correct, then 1t Is almost certain
fact that crushed charcoal or sand that
will admit circulation of air would answer.
Some people object to the Quick-process cider;
but there is reason why the simultaneous alb
sorption of oxygen by all parts of the cider from
the pure external air should make a vinegar less
wholesome than that which is one or two years
in making itself" by absorbing oxygen through
a bung-hole from the poor quality of air in a
cellar where the cider is fermentDg. Fresh
made quick process vinegar is free from animal
culn and will remain for many years without
dying" becoming ''mothery" or ''ropy," if in
full vessels tightly corked.